Expectation: A World War II historical fiction tearjerker.
Reality: A simple, yet layered story that leaves you with complicated feelings.
All in Audiobook
The Music of Bees – Eileen Garvin
Expectation: A quasi-cozy romance with enough sass and drama to keep you interested but a firm ground in reality.
Reality: A sometimes far-fetched but utterly engrossing story of chosen family. I was surprised by the emotional depth of the characters and how their journey unfolds.
How the Penguins Saved Veronica – Hazel Prior
Expectation: A dramedy about second chances with a strong main character and a colorful supporting cast of the non-penguin variety.
Reality: Predictable and outlandish, it is saved by a solid foray into Veronica’s past, but the contemporary chapters and almost every other character are unforgettable.
Interior Chinatown – Charles Yu
Expectation: A comedic take on racial inequities in Hollywood.
Reality: A layered, original and surreal examination of selling out, pushing forward and dreaming bigger than your circumstances allow.
Why Fish Don't Exist: A Story of Loss, Love, and the Hidden Order of Life – Lulu Miller
“Why Fish Don’t Exist” is a podcast in book form, which makes it the perfect audiobook for listeners of that format looking to branch out.
Black Buck – Mateo Askaripour
Expectation: A crackling takedown of Big Tech, faux diversity and the work-life balance façade.
Reality: This was two books smooshed together. One, the corporate satire, was a helluva lot more interesting than the second, a basic bro wish fulfillment fantasy but with a BIPOC lead.
28 Summers – Elin Hilderbrand
Expectation: A sappy romance about forbidden love that normalizes and celebrates infidelity.
Reality: A smart, engaging story with well-written leads and ancillary characters that help bring forward the consequences of Mallory and Jake’s actions.
The Hype Was Lost On Me: Popular Books That Missed The Mark
The hype was lost on me, here’s six popular books I hated, plus five I couldn’t even finish.
Klara and the Sun – Kazuo Ishiguro
Expectation: A heartfelt story about forming connection.
Reality: A solid first half is squandered by several convoluted plot twists that put Klara in the backseat.
The House in the Cerulean Sea – T.J. Klune
Expectation: An overdone young adult romance about magical children.
Reality: A charming and queer-positive character-driven story that will keep adults and teens enthralled.
Group: How One Therapist and a Circle of Strangers Saved My Life – Christie Tate
I was intrigued, uncomfortable and mostly bored by Tate’s memoir of life in group therapy. Read the description and a few reviews before deciding if it’s right for you.
Nothing to See Here – Kevin Wilson
Expectation: A kooky, scifi comedy with political themes and “After School Special” lessons on tolerance and second chances.
Reality: Funnier than expected with a fair amount of heart, it’s mostly feel-good plot starts to fall apart near the end.
In Defense Of…The Books That Only I Seem to Like
I defend five books that have obnoxiously low Goodreads ratings for how much I enjoyed them.
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue – V.E. Schwab
Expectation: A hot and heavy romantic fantasy about living without consequence that will appeal to non-genre fans.
Reality: A tad overcooked, and sometimes repetitive, but it succeeds in bringing forward uncomfortable feelings about the main characters while still delivering a satisfying ending.
The Four Winds – Kristin Hannah
Expectation: A sprawling, heartbreaking, and utterly American story about overcoming adversity.
Reality: A sometimes rushed and emotionally disconnected narrative that’s still powerful given Kristin Hannah’s solid writing and historical research.
Hidden Valley Road – Robert Kolker
At one time the Galvins were described as “the most mentally ill family in America.” For a little more than a decade starting in the 1960s, six out of the 12 children would receive a schizophrenia diagnosis, but all family members felt the impact – and those alive still do.
They Both Die at the End – Adam Silvera
Expectation: A young adult romance weep fest.
Reality: A good balance of heavy subject matter with lighter moments, buoyed by two charming main characters and an understated love story.
The Prophets – Robert Jones, Jr.
Expectation: A remarkable debut novel giving a queer perspective to the experiences of those held in slavery in pre-Civil War America.
Reality: Gorgeous writing, memorable characters and a tense last third help overcome a somewhat confusing structure. This is a book people will talk about all year.
Ring Shout – P. Djèlí Clark
Expectation: An adventure story with political and social commentary.
Reality: A genre-defying horror fantasy featuring an amazing cast of BIPOC women and one of the most terrifying literary villains in recent memory.
Anxious People – Fredrik Backman
Expectation: A balanced examination of second chances delivered with Backman’s signature style of homespun philosophy.
Reality: A somewhat slap-sticky and, at times, annoying character study that tries to do a bit too much but finds its footing in the end.